Sri Lanka bus crash leaves 15 dead

At least 15 persons were killed and another 15 injured in a road mishap in the Badulla District of Uva Province, southern Sri Lanka, police said on Friday.

A group of over 30 persons were on a pleasure trip from the southern town of Tangalle when their bus went down a precipice over 1,000 feet around in the Ella town around 9 pm local time on Thursday.

The bus had collided with an oncoming jeep before hitting the road railing and going down.

The dead include nine women. They all were employees of the Tangalle Urban Council.

The rescue efforts were undertaken by the military, police, disaster management teams and residents, the Newsfirst web portal reported.

Officials said the injured have been admitted to the Badulla Teaching Hospital, with several said to be in critical condition, Adaderana reported.